


To Cure Every Disease

by DigitalGuardian



Category: One Piece
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Illnesses, Mentions of Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:53:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29362794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DigitalGuardian/pseuds/DigitalGuardian
Summary: One of his nakama is ill and there is no cure. Chopper & Usopp nakamaship
Relationships: Tony Tony Chopper & Usopp
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	To Cure Every Disease

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Everyone!
> 
> Sometimes dreams are a little grand but anything's possible if you take it a step at a time and that's the inspiration for this story. (and the song from Santa Clause is Coming to Town)
> 
> 2/11/2021

**To Cure Every Disease**

_To cure every disease._ That is Chopper's dream. That's what he proclaimed to the heavens and Doctorine and pledged his dream to the black flag. The passage of time has not deterred Chopper from his dream but it did put things in perspective. Thinking back, maybe he was a being a bit naïve. He hadn't considered the ramifications of his dream. Chopper didn't want to feel discouraged, he was a Strawhat pirate after all and a Strawhat pirate doesn't know the meaning of impossible.

Chopper's captain was the prime example. He started as a no name pirate in the East Blue but now the whole ocean knows the reigning Pirate King. Luffy was an unstoppable force of nature that took the World Government by surprise. It didn't matter what their enemies did to stop him and even if they managed to knock Luffy down he would rise up again with unrelenting vigor. This was true of all the crew who pursued their dreams with that same kind of vigor in their own way.

As a doctor Chopper couldn't disregard the practical implications of his lofty dream. There were at least a hundred thousand diseases out in the world with who knows how many unknown diseases yet to be discovered. Chopper was worried about the diseases that – no matter how hard he tried – there just was no cure.

Like the disease that left Usopp fighting for his life.

At first nobody realized that something was wrong. For a week Usopp had been inflicted by dizzy spells. Chopper diagnosed the sniper with dehydration. The World Government had been pursuing them with the tenacity of a blood hound after the world recognized Luffy as the next Pirate King. The attacks were usually easy to fend off but the climate had been dry and hot which meant Chopper saw multiple of cases of dehydration over that stretch of time they were sailing through the climate zone. Usopp recovered fast so Chopper didn't worry at the time.

Then Usopp fell overboard.

Usopp and Luffy hadn't been doing anything special, it was just a typically evening of fishing. Luffy had secretly been eating from the bait pail and when he faced forward, Usopp was no longer sitting on the rail but sinking into the sea. Luffy jumped in right after him (because what else would he do if his nakama was in trouble?) Luckily Jinbe saw both of the men go overboard and promptly went in for the rescue. Usopp didn't remember how he fell, he was sitting one moment and the next he woke up on deck with Jinbe resuscitating him. Usopp's sudden blackout was concerning but the sniper dismissed the reindeer's worries, stating that he had forgotten to eat the entire day because he was holed up in his workshop. Sanji reamed his crewmate out for not only skipping meals but for letting him get so exhausted. Usopp promised not to let it happen again.

But it kept happening. Usopp would collapse without warning, falling into varying levels of consciousness. He as immediately confined to bedrest after Usopp was almost beheaded by an enemy if it weren't for Robin's interference.

The tests Chopper ran were inconclusive but his patient was able to shed some light on the situation. The bouts of weakness reminded Usopp of what happened to his mother before she became ill. Usopp confided to Chopper that he thought it was likely he was inflicted with the same illness that took his mother but he didn't want to believe it. It's hard to deny reality while lying in the infirmary, barely strong enough to stand up.

As scary as it was to have his nakama a permanent resident of the infirmary, knowing that the cause was genetic gave Chopper a starting point. The crew traveled to the East Blue as soon as they learned of Usopp's condition.

The doctor that treated Bianca had passed away but they were able to recover the patient file from the apprentice. The notes recorded the progression of Bianca's disease and Chopper was able to reference it with his own observations. Sure enough Bianca visited the doctor after experiencing spells of dizziness and sudden bouts of weakness. The doctor was at a loss to what was ailing Bianca, Chopper could see the frustration in the scribbled notes and felt that same feeling welling up inside of him. The notes only confirmed that Usopp and Bianca shared the same genetic disease. Based on the notes, Chopper knew what fated awaited his friend. Usopp's organs would become too weak to function, his lungs and heart would fail. It would be a slow and painful death.

If Chopper couldn't find the cure to this disease, Usopp would face the same fate as his mother.

Chopper's pencil snapped when he pushed too hard down in anger, the lead went flying through the air and hit the floor. He quickly spun around in his chair. Usopp was still asleep, chest rising and falling as he let out labored breaths. Chopper trotted over and used a clean towel to dab away the sweat forming on the sniper's brow.

Usopp eyes fluttered. He looked around amidst his feverish haze before he rested his gaze upon his friend. He smiled, "Hey Chopper. Why the long face?"

Chopper shook his head. "How are you feeling, Usopp? Do you need some more pain medication?"

"This?" Usopp huffed pushing himself up into a reclined position with Chopper's help, "This is nothing. When I was a kid I ate this mushroom that caused me pain for weeks! I thought I was going to die."

"That's not funny," Chopper grumbled.

Usopp was abashed, "Mushroom, right. Sore subject. Man, I'm really off my game."

Chopper bit his lips, trying to suppress his sniffles, "Bastard…"

"Sorry. I'll get better in no time. One little illness isn't going to keep the Sniper of the Pirate King down." Usopp assured. He choked and fell into a coughing fit. His whole body shuddered with each cough. Chopper stood dutifully next to Usopp unable to ease his suffering until the episode ended on its own. Usopp pulled his hand away from his mouth and just stared at the layer of blood in his hand. Chopper quietly wiped away the blood and disposed of the towel.

"…Chopper?"

"I can't stop it." Chopper murmured as the tears spilled down his cheeks. "I can't stop you illness from taking your strength or, or shutting down your organs. You're going to get weaker and weaker until… until!... I can stop it."

"Hey now." Usopp said. "That doesn't sound like the Doctor Chopper I know."

"Shut up, calling me doctor won't make me feel better." Chopper muttered, actually it made him feel worse. "How can I reach my dream if I can't even save my friend?"

"You're dream's going to take time, it won't get accomplished overnight."

"You don't have time!" Chopper snapped back and then slumped down in his chair in defeat. "How can you be so calm! It's your death we're talking about here!"

"Don't _*cough* *cough*_ get me wrong. Thinking about dying is terrifying but I know you'll figure out my illness. We Strawhats don't know when to quit."

"But…" There were somethings that can't be solved by sheer willpower alone.

"You're being too hard on yourself. I should know." Usopp settled back into the infirmary bed, sleep was taking hold once more but he continued to ramble. "I wanted to be a brave and great pirate since I was a kid but when I actually became a pirate I shook in my boots. I couldn't move. So I had to take it slow. One step at.. atta time…..you hear that Chopper? Put one foot in front of the other…."

Usopp's mutterings turned into snoring.

Chopper's hooves wiped the tears and giggled lightly to himself. "Bastard. The patient should be taking it easy, not comforting the doctor."

Once again the only conscious occupant in the infirmary, Chopper returned to his studies. The large volume of medical textbooks stacked on his desk was already looking daunting and he hadn't even cracked them open yet. There was a chance that these texts didn't contain the information he needed to find a cure to Usopp's disease. Chopper lightly smacked his furry cheeks and took a deep breath. He was a doctor, he could do this. He pledged upon the black flag that he would be the greatest doctor, the kind that could cure all diseases.

But he wasn't trying to cure all diseases right now. He only had to focus on one and he would find the cure, taking it one step at a time. One step after the other. One cure after the other. And before Chopper would know it he would reach his dream with Usopp and everyone else will be there to celebrate it with him.

_….. One disease at a time._

**Author's Note:**

> I usually think of myself as a pragmatic optimist. Chopper's dream is a big one that logically and realistically speaking he probably wouldn't be able to accomplish in his lifetime but I like to think he'll be known for great contributions to the field of medicine and may be known as the doctor who could cure anything.
> 
> This story will be left a little open ended but I think it fits. I like to think that Chopper will find a cure to Usopp's illness but what about you?
> 
> -DigitalGuardian


End file.
